The magnificent cathedrals of Italy, with their monumental domes, marble spires and elaborately gilded interiors, provided a sublime backdrop for baroque sacred music. Choral works of Lotti and Scarlatti resonated throughout the heavenly architecture as ancient sculptures of saints and luminous paintings by Tiepolo, Caravaggio and Cortona looked down upon the faithful. Sensational and dramatic, it was a wondrously theatrical setting for the virtuosic music of baroque composers whose work glorified and reaffirmed the emotional depths of Catholic faith. Through Corelli, the pastoral imagery and poetical escapism of Arcadia came knocking at the Cathedral doors and resounded high into the vaulted ceilings of Italy’s churches. Corelli’s music, with its stunning suspensions and rhythmic dynamism, inspired Antonio Tonelli who transformed the master’s trio sonatas into sublime sacred vocal works of ravishing beauty.

The decorative style called chinoiserie is an exotic aesthetic that flourished in the palaces and houses of 17th and 18th-century Europe. It was a fantasy that idealized the Orient and quickly captured the imagination of painters, furniture makers, architects and composers. The style spread like wildfire as traveler’s tales and artifacts from the East conjured images of delicate bridges over rushing rivers, intricately carved red dragons, ivory pagodas, green parrots and monkeys dressed as Chinamen. The taste for these designs created an extraordinary demand for exotic lacquered cabinets, ceramics of Delft and Minton, garden structures and harpsichord cases; all of which presided in Europe’s most sublime residences. A handful of missionaries and itinerant musicians who found their way to China, not only learned to perform Chinese songs on viols and harpsichords, but also performed western music for the emperor and his court in Beijing.

Through the music of Johann Sebastian Bach’s sons, we are given a glimpse into two very different musical worlds. In Berlin, the brooding and introspective music of Carl Philipp Emanuel was perfectly suited for the intimate private concerts given by his patron, Frederick the Great. Johann Christian, on the other hand, was a cosmopolite who composed wonderfully effervescent music for London’s concert halls and opera houses. The lives of the two brothers tell a musical story full of fascinating connections with Europe’s cultural elite. Carl Philipp Emanuel, immersed in the musical life of Berlin, was mentored by Graun. In London, Johann Christian began England’s first subscription concerts with Abel, was an idol to Mozart and a friend of Gainsborough. The ‘London Bach’ and the ‘Berlin Bach’ could not have been more different. Following their own paths, they created a diverse repertory, each with their own unique perspective and style.